Two times in my life The Rev. Bill Yon (seated right with Fr Simon Haimbodi of Onandova) has asked me to consider something. The first was in 1999 at a Diocesan convention in the Diocese of Alabama. “Have you ever considered going to seminary?” My initial answer was no but as the Spirit would have it I left my career in law and was ordained to the priesthood in 2004. The second time Bill asked me to consider something was in an email conversation in late 2006. “Would you consider going to Namibia to work training clergy”? This time my answer was a hesitant “yes”, but I had very little expectation that anything would come of it. Well again as the Spirit would have it my wife Penny and I have accepted the call and will be traveling to work in Namibia as Episcopal Church missionaries beginning in the summer of 2008.
This has been a wonderful and sometimes scary time of discernment in our lives. Bill originally asked us to be part of a consultation team to travel to Namibia in June 2007 to help the Diocese create a strategic plan for clergy training. Our team consisted of The Rev. Bill Yon, The Rev. Jeremy Lucas, and Penelope Lucas, R.N. from the U.S. The Rev. Simon Gatenby, and The Rev. David Sharples from the Diocese of Manchester England and The Rev. Lukas Katenda from the Diocese of Nambia. Bill had been contacted through Trinity Grants after they met with Bishop Nakwatumba in 2006. The Bishop explained that Namibia is experiencing an extreme clergy shortage and that without help and planning would be unable to meet the pastoral needs of its people. So for three weeks in June we met and traveled in Namibia to gather information for a strategic plan. This plan has been approved by the Diocese and has been submitted to Trinity Church as a three year grant request.
While in Namibia we were overwhelmed with the hospitality and spirit of the people. We were able to meet all but one of the Etameko 11(see photo) that Bill and Lib helped train in late 1980's. We worshiped at both St. George’s Cathedral and at St. Mary’s Odibo and could truly feel how God was and is working in Namibia.
We had originally thought that we would go to Namibia and work only on clergy training but as conversations continued possibilities opened. This year Bishop Nakwatumba has asked The Rev. Mike Yeats to act as the new Dean of St. Georges Cathedral. As Mike is currently Executive Director of KAYEC, it would be difficult to take on full responsibilities as Dean of the Cathedral. During our trip I met with both the Bishop and Mike and was asked to take the position of Associate Dean in Residence of St. George’s. Mike and I will work doing team ministry each taking different responsibilities of the Dean. Penny and I will live in the Deanery and I, along with the council, will be responsible for day to day operations.
Throughout our trip I was astounded at the spirit of the people of Namibia. Under the weight of so much crushing poverty and so much death there was a positive sense, and hopefulness that is hard to understand. We visited the Health Clinic at Odibo and found care being offered without the most basic of necessities. We dove through the old township of Katatura and say the place called Babylon. Thousands of tiny metal shacks with no water, no electricity, and no plumbing. It is estimated that half of the population of Windhoek, over 150,000 people, live there. More people come everyday from rural areas looking for work in Windhoek. At Onekweya we met Sister Gertrude running the Joy to the World Preschool. She was the only teacher for 56 children aged 2-6. Many were AIDS orphans. There were almost no books, no paper, no pencils, no toys. We spent one morning playing soccer in the sand yard of their school. The children laughed and sang and played. Their voices truly were Joy to the world.
I was once told by another African missionary that in Africa the people adapt to the environment, in America we adapt the environment to ourselves. This is true, I think, but it doesn’t make it right. I don’t believe that God ever intended for any of his people to “adapt” to thousands of children dying each day from preventable diseases, I don’t believe that God ever intended any of us to “adapt” to huge discrepancies between the rich and poor, or the hungry and well fed. I know that in many places these things are seen as a sign of God abandoning parts of the world. It could certainly seem that way, but in reality God is there with them waiting on His Body to act in His name to make a difference. What we experienced were people who knew on a deeper level than most ever will that God was with them. This did not make what was going on around them alright but it did give them hope. As Martin Luther said “Everything that is done in the world is done by hope”
Penny and I will not be able to change everything or solve every problem in Namibia. We are not going to try and save the world. But we do have hope and hope helps you realize that you can make a difference. If we didn’t think we could have some type of positive impact there would be no point in going in the first place. We are taking these steps in faith that God will be with us on our journey. Please keep Namibia and us in your prayers as we make this move. You can keep up with our work in Namibia on our new Blog called Mission Namibia. The address is http://www.missionnamibia.blogspot.com./ We will be updating the blog frequently with new photos and stories. We also provide information on how to become a mission partner to support our ministry. As part of its new mission strategy the Episcopal Church is asking missionaries to raise a majority of their own support from local congregations and diocese. This helps invest congregations in the work of mission and makes connections on a more grassroots level. We hope that you will prayerfully consider becoming a partner with us in this new missionary endeavour to Namibia
This has been a wonderful and sometimes scary time of discernment in our lives. Bill originally asked us to be part of a consultation team to travel to Namibia in June 2007 to help the Diocese create a strategic plan for clergy training. Our team consisted of The Rev. Bill Yon, The Rev. Jeremy Lucas, and Penelope Lucas, R.N. from the U.S. The Rev. Simon Gatenby, and The Rev. David Sharples from the Diocese of Manchester England and The Rev. Lukas Katenda from the Diocese of Nambia. Bill had been contacted through Trinity Grants after they met with Bishop Nakwatumba in 2006. The Bishop explained that Namibia is experiencing an extreme clergy shortage and that without help and planning would be unable to meet the pastoral needs of its people. So for three weeks in June we met and traveled in Namibia to gather information for a strategic plan. This plan has been approved by the Diocese and has been submitted to Trinity Church as a three year grant request.
While in Namibia we were overwhelmed with the hospitality and spirit of the people. We were able to meet all but one of the Etameko 11(see photo) that Bill and Lib helped train in late 1980's. We worshiped at both St. George’s Cathedral and at St. Mary’s Odibo and could truly feel how God was and is working in Namibia.
We had originally thought that we would go to Namibia and work only on clergy training but as conversations continued possibilities opened. This year Bishop Nakwatumba has asked The Rev. Mike Yeats to act as the new Dean of St. Georges Cathedral. As Mike is currently Executive Director of KAYEC, it would be difficult to take on full responsibilities as Dean of the Cathedral. During our trip I met with both the Bishop and Mike and was asked to take the position of Associate Dean in Residence of St. George’s. Mike and I will work doing team ministry each taking different responsibilities of the Dean. Penny and I will live in the Deanery and I, along with the council, will be responsible for day to day operations.
Throughout our trip I was astounded at the spirit of the people of Namibia. Under the weight of so much crushing poverty and so much death there was a positive sense, and hopefulness that is hard to understand. We visited the Health Clinic at Odibo and found care being offered without the most basic of necessities. We dove through the old township of Katatura and say the place called Babylon. Thousands of tiny metal shacks with no water, no electricity, and no plumbing. It is estimated that half of the population of Windhoek, over 150,000 people, live there. More people come everyday from rural areas looking for work in Windhoek. At Onekweya we met Sister Gertrude running the Joy to the World Preschool. She was the only teacher for 56 children aged 2-6. Many were AIDS orphans. There were almost no books, no paper, no pencils, no toys. We spent one morning playing soccer in the sand yard of their school. The children laughed and sang and played. Their voices truly were Joy to the world.
I was once told by another African missionary that in Africa the people adapt to the environment, in America we adapt the environment to ourselves. This is true, I think, but it doesn’t make it right. I don’t believe that God ever intended for any of his people to “adapt” to thousands of children dying each day from preventable diseases, I don’t believe that God ever intended any of us to “adapt” to huge discrepancies between the rich and poor, or the hungry and well fed. I know that in many places these things are seen as a sign of God abandoning parts of the world. It could certainly seem that way, but in reality God is there with them waiting on His Body to act in His name to make a difference. What we experienced were people who knew on a deeper level than most ever will that God was with them. This did not make what was going on around them alright but it did give them hope. As Martin Luther said “Everything that is done in the world is done by hope”
Penny and I will not be able to change everything or solve every problem in Namibia. We are not going to try and save the world. But we do have hope and hope helps you realize that you can make a difference. If we didn’t think we could have some type of positive impact there would be no point in going in the first place. We are taking these steps in faith that God will be with us on our journey. Please keep Namibia and us in your prayers as we make this move. You can keep up with our work in Namibia on our new Blog called Mission Namibia. The address is http://www.missionnamibia.blogspot.com./ We will be updating the blog frequently with new photos and stories. We also provide information on how to become a mission partner to support our ministry. As part of its new mission strategy the Episcopal Church is asking missionaries to raise a majority of their own support from local congregations and diocese. This helps invest congregations in the work of mission and makes connections on a more grassroots level. We hope that you will prayerfully consider becoming a partner with us in this new missionary endeavour to Namibia
